Quey_Quick
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Always wanted to try the Premier but safety is a concern.
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So I took the train long way
- Thread starter Hosehead
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Neoprod
Honorary Master
Did the same trip on Shosholoza Meyl with a group of about 100 people going to Rocking the Daisies in 2014...what a blast. Was a non-stop party for the entire ride...made pitching the tent in the dark somewhere in Malmesbury a bit tricky
silverfoxrox
Well-Known Member
Thanks OP for starting this thread. I love train travel and haven't done any in South Africa.
Does anyone know if there is a station in Pretoria?
Also, i'm confused about what "compartments" and "coupes" are. If I am one person travelling and want complete privacy would I book out a coupe or a compartment?
Does anyone know if there is a station in Pretoria?
Also, i'm confused about what "compartments" and "coupes" are. If I am one person travelling and want complete privacy would I book out a coupe or a compartment?
halfmoonforever
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They have security on board, and it's pretty safe. No incidents that I know of and staff is friendly/helpful. Noise levels? It's a train. It goes clickety clackety... lol. But in all seriousness, it's like travelling in a car (same amount of noise levels more or less). Some tracks/turns make it squeeck, but I slept through quite easily (first night was rough as I wasn't used to the motion, but coming back it was cool)
halfmoonforever
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They're the same thing I think, and it's called a berth actually
I had the single berth. It has electricity/aircon/washbasin/mirror etc. The only thing they don't have is a nice wifi connection for internet. The signal dropping constantly was a pain, so I would highly recommend going with a friend to share the experience
Same thing but generally the 4 or 6 sleeper is refered to a compartment while the 2 sleeper is the coupe. If you want a coupe to yourself then you need to pay for both beds.
There is a station in pretoria but the train only departs from jhb for cpt, you'll have to find your own way to jhb by car, taxi, bus, train, gautrain.
Batista
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We did it once,Shosholoza Meyl - never again. It was a horrible experience.Bad food, bad manners of the conductors(banging on your door at 6am) and general cleanliness.This was about 6 years ago so I hope things have changed.
Me and some friends wanted to take the train down do Cape Town in our student days and settled on the Economy (sitter) class after the Tourist (sleeper) class was sold out, thinking how bad can it be. The R280 (in 2008) price should have been an indication. Won't easily do it again, but it was quite an experience and a lot of memories.
There were two trains running that day and the first train was delayed past the departure time of the 2nd train. As a result by the time the first train arrived at Johannesburg station the passengers waiting for the second were also waiting already and most people tried to squeeze into the first train. We decided to wait for the second train and was rewarded with almost having the whole coach for ourselves, although it contributed to turning a 26 hour journey into an 33 hour trip.
Some photos:
Johannesburg station
We almost had the whole coach to ourselves
Sleeping on the luggage racks
Some scenery
There were two trains running that day and the first train was delayed past the departure time of the 2nd train. As a result by the time the first train arrived at Johannesburg station the passengers waiting for the second were also waiting already and most people tried to squeeze into the first train. We decided to wait for the second train and was rewarded with almost having the whole coach for ourselves, although it contributed to turning a 26 hour journey into an 33 hour trip.
Some photos:
Johannesburg station
We almost had the whole coach to ourselves
Sleeping on the luggage racks
Some scenery
Attachments
Hosehead
Executive Member
Additional info asked for : Security
There are security agents on the train and they also patrol the exterior of the train at every stop. During the Beaufort west stop temps were 3.5 degrees and the security folk still walked up and down outside
At Cape Town station the fancy trains i.e. Blue Train, Rovos Rail and premier classe have their own lounges
While tourist class also called sleeper class on the Shosholoza meyl as opposed to sitter class on the same train
Has its own dedicated ticket collection window and the waiting area next to the platform in the long distance train section of the station
Is guarded as is the platform entrance. South African Police patrol the station and other stations en route
Only the blue train goes to Pretoria afaik and all the rest terminate at Park Station in Braamfontein which is the southernmost Gautrain stop . Inside Park station security is fine but outside is a bit dodge so have your uber driver come inside otherwise connect on the Gautrain to sandton for Ortia
Security on the train has only one flaw - the compartment doors don't lock from outside but inside it does and there's an extra safety lock
To prevent nocturnal Xmas shopping.
There's also steel roll down shutters on your windows - two in a 4 berth and one in a 2 berth coupe. These would stop greasy hands reaching into your compartment as well as blocking out light
The Shosho Meyl is unique amongst all the long distance posh trains as its not hermetically sealed with air con . On the Meyl at least the windows in all compartments and corridors slide half way down enough for photography or sticking your neck out but it's a squeeze.
Bonus is the fresh Karoo air.
These tourist class trains do not have air con but they have fans . The carriages are being refurbished so you might get a spanking new one like I did or an older one .
To clear up confusion a two berth compartment is called a coupe. The top bunk berth folds out over the lower bunk which is your seat during the day.
A compartment has 4 berths with two bunks stowed and two bench seats facing each other
In both a table folds down and covers a washbasin
If you are a single traveller you will be assigned to a four berth same sex compartment for R690
Couples will normally be assigned a two berth coupe
Families normally assigned a 4 berth compartment
YES it's absolutely possible for single travelers to buy the entire 2 berth coupe . You pay R690 x2
Likewise to book out the 4 berth compartment which many couples did you pay R690x4
Always try and book the whole compartment ...couples or more will prefer the 4 berth While the single traveller
Will prefer the 2 bed coupe as one can lie down above and sit below whenever one pleases
Just remember shoshozola Meyl Tourist Class is not Luxury. It runs several times a week and offers great comfort
With a hefty dose of unreliability while premier class runs once a week and is more luxury in service and appointments
While blue train once a week and I suppose if you really worked hard enough you could recoup the 20k rand plus ticket cost by polishing off all the premium free booze you can get down and smoking all the free Cuban cigars .
Your liver will hate you though but what the heck you can always replace it.
There are security agents on the train and they also patrol the exterior of the train at every stop. During the Beaufort west stop temps were 3.5 degrees and the security folk still walked up and down outside
At Cape Town station the fancy trains i.e. Blue Train, Rovos Rail and premier classe have their own lounges
While tourist class also called sleeper class on the Shosholoza meyl as opposed to sitter class on the same train
Has its own dedicated ticket collection window and the waiting area next to the platform in the long distance train section of the station
Is guarded as is the platform entrance. South African Police patrol the station and other stations en route
Only the blue train goes to Pretoria afaik and all the rest terminate at Park Station in Braamfontein which is the southernmost Gautrain stop . Inside Park station security is fine but outside is a bit dodge so have your uber driver come inside otherwise connect on the Gautrain to sandton for Ortia
Security on the train has only one flaw - the compartment doors don't lock from outside but inside it does and there's an extra safety lock
To prevent nocturnal Xmas shopping.
There's also steel roll down shutters on your windows - two in a 4 berth and one in a 2 berth coupe. These would stop greasy hands reaching into your compartment as well as blocking out light
The Shosho Meyl is unique amongst all the long distance posh trains as its not hermetically sealed with air con . On the Meyl at least the windows in all compartments and corridors slide half way down enough for photography or sticking your neck out but it's a squeeze.
Bonus is the fresh Karoo air.
These tourist class trains do not have air con but they have fans . The carriages are being refurbished so you might get a spanking new one like I did or an older one .
To clear up confusion a two berth compartment is called a coupe. The top bunk berth folds out over the lower bunk which is your seat during the day.
A compartment has 4 berths with two bunks stowed and two bench seats facing each other
In both a table folds down and covers a washbasin
If you are a single traveller you will be assigned to a four berth same sex compartment for R690
Couples will normally be assigned a two berth coupe
Families normally assigned a 4 berth compartment
YES it's absolutely possible for single travelers to buy the entire 2 berth coupe . You pay R690 x2
Likewise to book out the 4 berth compartment which many couples did you pay R690x4
Always try and book the whole compartment ...couples or more will prefer the 4 berth While the single traveller
Will prefer the 2 bed coupe as one can lie down above and sit below whenever one pleases
Just remember shoshozola Meyl Tourist Class is not Luxury. It runs several times a week and offers great comfort
With a hefty dose of unreliability while premier class runs once a week and is more luxury in service and appointments
While blue train once a week and I suppose if you really worked hard enough you could recoup the 20k rand plus ticket cost by polishing off all the premium free booze you can get down and smoking all the free Cuban cigars .
Your liver will hate you though but what the heck you can always replace it.
Datura
Captain Faptastic
Skimmed through posts so may have missed it if it was mentioned. Is it possible for nicotine junkies to smoke?
Hosehead
Executive Member
Not officially but there was a couple smoking in their compartment who forgot to open windows in any case there re enough stops at every dorpie to have a quick drag on the platform
Cius
Honorary Master
I know a few people who have taken the Shosholoza between various destinations. The advice I recall:
Better to take your own food
Plan for some delays
Try time it when there are unlikely to be large numbers of students/young people as certain times of the year the train gets very rowdy late into the night. (unless you are the rowdy traveller)
Better to take your own food
Plan for some delays
Try time it when there are unlikely to be large numbers of students/young people as certain times of the year the train gets very rowdy late into the night. (unless you are the rowdy traveller)
Grant
Honorary Master
[video=youtube;bVKZwD4qEHo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVKZwD4qEHo[/video]
Grant
Honorary Master
the sublime blue train
it is a breed apart, fully air-conditioned, underfloor heating, air suspension, double glazed windows.
coaches are "hard linked" together - the entire train moves a one single unit, unlike other trains where coaches are independent.
[video=youtube;jst_DpD-B2A]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jst_DpD-B2A[/video]
it is a breed apart, fully air-conditioned, underfloor heating, air suspension, double glazed windows.
coaches are "hard linked" together - the entire train moves a one single unit, unlike other trains where coaches are independent.
[video=youtube;jst_DpD-B2A]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jst_DpD-B2A[/video]
Last edited:
patrick
Expert Member
The wife and I took the Shosholoza last year: [video=youtube;vsVXnvoksq0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsVXnvoksq0[/video]